reporter: larry inherited this job from his parents, who were hired by a man with a dream. 43 years ago, dan evans wanted to turn a gas station into a general store. it would be called cracker barrel. >> got the hamburger platter right here. >> reporter: today, with 620 stores in 42 states, this restaurant chain from tennessee fills each location with pieces of americana. >> i'm sure i'm not alone. most people probably think that stuff is a replica. it's real? >> yeah, it's all authentic. since the beginning, cracker barrel started, they said we're going to use the original pieces. since 1969, we've got out and hunted and dug and got into buildings to continue to use authentic pieces. >> reporter: if his home is a museum, well, then, cracker barrel's warehouse -- >> old cream cans. metal cream cans. >> reporter: is an archive of american history. where relics are restored, bar coded, and then categorized. each collectible is carefully staged in a mock store before a new cracker barrel opens. how do they pay for all this? with success. if you'd invested a thousand dollars in this company's st